Before Watchmen: Moloch #1 Reviewed

Moloch appears to be an ‘off-shoot’ of the Watchmen Mythos by Alan Moore. Here writer J. Michael Straczynski appears to suggest that Moloch become a Christian. Upon Birth Moloch is seen as Elfish with long pointy ears and the times appear to be the 50’s so there isn’t likely much sympathy for anyone different.

Moloch’s childhood doesn’t get any better, as in school he is beaten up regularly and then he is played by a young girl, who leads him on to hurt him. Only that he murders her boyfriend and like the Godfather puts his dead body in her bed at night, causing her to go to an insane asylum.

So Moloch is not altogether nice, he becomes a Magician and then continues upon his life of crime. He runs into the Minutemen eventually and gets arrested, it is there where he seems to find Religion. After getting out he continues to prey on society and finally Dr. Manhattan Nabs him and Moloch finds that Religion may be his thing after all.

As a story I think Moloch is effective and interesting. It’s a 2 part mini series so the 2nd one should let us know where this will be ending. The art by Eduardo Risso is spot on, most of the art actually is very good in the Before Watchmen series.